Railway traffic controlling apparatus



Nov. 15, 1938. C, E,s1-AF E-s 2,136,808

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed April 3, 1957 Retained Neu zral Polam HIS ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Crawford E. Staples, Wilkinsburg, Pa., assignor to The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swiss-.

vale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 3, 1937, Serial No. 134.796

Claims.

My invention relates to railway trafiic controlling apparatus; .and more particularly to apparatus for controlling wayside and/or cab signals by means of coded trackway energy. Specifically, my invention relates to a coded signaling system utilizing a. polarized control relay having two windings, one of which is energized inone direction by a tuned circuit responsive only to energy of one frequency and the other of which is energized in the opposite direction by a tuned circuit responsive only to energy of another frequency, the tuned circuits being supplied With energy of one frequency or the other in accordance with therate of operation of a 7 code following relay;

The apparatus shown inthis application is an improvement on the apparatus shown and claimed in an application of Frank H. Nicholson and Leslie R; Allison, Serial No. 210,744, filed May 28, 1933, for Railway traffic controlling apparatus.

I shall describe two forms of apparatus embodying my invention, and shall then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a. dia grammatic view showing one form of wayside apparatus embodyingmy invention. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing a portion of train carried apparatus to illustrate how train carried signal control relays, similar to the wayside control relays shown in Fig. 1, can be utilized to control a cabsignal. The apparatus shown in Fig.

2 also embodies my invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in eachof the two views.

Referring to Fig. 1. the reference characters I and 2 designate therails of a stretch of railway track along which traffic normallymoves in the direction indicated by the arrow and which are divided by insulated joints 3 into a plurality of track sections of which section 4-5 is a representative section. Each track section is provided with a code following track relay designated by the reference character TR. with a prefix to correspond to the location. Each track section is also provided with a wayside signal designated by the reference character S with a prefix to correspond to the location and here shown as a color light signal. For controlling the signals, each section is provided with a neutral signal control relay and a polarized signal control relay of the retained neutral type designated by the reference characters I-Iand D, respectively, each with a prefix to correspond with the location. Eachrelay D is provided with a winding 6 which when energized in one direction will cause the associated polar armature to assume one position which I shall term the normal position, and with a winding 1 which when energized in the other direction will cause the asso- 5 ciated polar armature to assume another position which I shall term the reverse position.

The relays H and windings 6 and l of the relays D are controlled by the associated code following track relays. Considering the appa- 10 ratus .at location 4, for example, the relay 4TB. in following code alternately closes the front and back points of its contacts 8 and 9. In the system shown herein the rate of operation of contacts 8 and 9 will be at '75, 120, or 180 times Hi per minute in accordance with trafiic conditions in'advance. When the front point of contact 8 is closed, energy will flow from terminal B of a convenient source of energy through wire Ill and left-hand portion of primary winding ll of transformerAM to terminal C of the same source of energy. The front point of contact 9 of relay 4TB, being closed simultaneously with the front point of contact 8 will cause energy to flow from. one terminal ofsecondary winding 12 of transformer 4M through wire l3,relay 4H, wire I4, front point of contact 9 of relay lTR, and wire IE to the other terminal of the left-hand portion of secondary winding [2. When the back point of contact 8 of relay 4TB isclosed, ter

minal B will be connected with wire I6 so that energy will flow in the opposite direction through the right-hand portion of primary winding ll of transformer 4M and, since the back point of contact 9 of relay 4TB is simultaneously closed,

energy will flow from the right-hand portion of secondary winding I2 of transformer 4M through wire l3, relay EH, wire l4, back point of contact 9, and wire IT to the other terminal of the righthand portion of secondary winding l2. In other words, regardless of the particular code which relay 4TB, is following, the winding of relay 4H will always be energized in one direction so that that relay will become picked up on any of the codes.

Winding B of relay 4D is connected to a rectifier l8 which in turn receives energy from wires: I0 and I6 by a tuned circuit which includes transformer 4N and condenser l9. Winding I is connected to a rectifier 20 which in turn receives energy from wires l0 and IB through a tuned circuit including a transformer 4P and condensers 2| and 22 in multiple. The tuned circuit including transformer 4N is responsive to 180 code only and the tuned circuit including transtrol circuits in detail. If two blocks in advance former P is responsive to 120 code only. Rectifier I is poled so that winding 6 is energized in the normal direction only and rectifier 20 is poled so that winding 1 is energized in the reverse direction only.

For supplying energy to the rails, each section is provided with a track battery designated by the reference character TB with a prefix corresponding to the location, and for periodically interrupting the supply of track circuit energy,

each section is provided with a code transmitting relay designated by the reference character' CT with a prefix to correspond with the location.

The rate of operation of each relay CT depends upon the condition of the associated relays H and D. That is, a constantly operating code generating relay designated by the reference character CG with a prefix corresponding to the location is provided with contacts I5, I20, and I 80 which contacts operate respectively at '75, 120, and 180 times per minute. The relays CT are connected with the contacts I5, I20, or I80 in accordance with the condition of the associated relays H and D.

Having described'certain elements of the system individually, I shall now describe the operation of the system as a whole. When at least three blocks'in advance of location are unoccupied, track relay 5TR will be following 180 code as a result'of which relay 5H will be energized and winding 6 of relay 5D will be energized in the normal direction. Relay 5CT will be operating on 180 code, over a circuit which passes over a path from terminal B through contact I80 of relay 50G, front point of contact 25 of relay 5D, front point of contact 26 of relay 5H, and relay 5CT to terminal C. The supply'of energy from track battery 5TB to the rails of section 45, will, therefore, be periodically interrupted by contact 2! of relay 5CT at the rate of 180 times per minute.

When relay 5TR is following 180 code as described above, section 45 will be supplied with current of 180 code and signal 58, which is controlled by relays 5H and 5D, will provide an indication corresponding to clear trafiic conditions in three advance blocks. The manner in which signal 5S is controlled by the relays 5H and 5D will be obvious from the drawing, and it is believed to be unnecessary to trace the signal conof location 5 are unoccupied, and the third block in advance is occupied, relay 5TB. will be following 120 code with the result that relay 5H Will be energized and winding 1 of relay 5D will be energized in the reverse direction. Relay 5CT will again be operating on 180 code over the circuit previously described so that the rails of section 4-5 will also be supplied with 180 'code. The polar contacts of relay 5D will now be in their reverse position so that signal 55 will display an indication corresponding to two clear blocks in advance.

If the block in advance of location 5 is unoccupied and the second block in advance is occupied, relay 5TR will be following 75 code with the result that relay 5H will be energized and relay 5D will be deenergized. Relay 5CT will now' be operating on 120 code over a circuit which includes contact I of relay 50G, back point of contact of relay 5D, front point of contact 26 of relay 5H, and relay 5CT to terminal C. The rails of section 45 will, therefore, besupplied with 1 20 code and signal 58, due'to the deenergization of relay 5D, will display an indication corresponding to one clear block in advance.

If the block in advance of location 5 is occupied, relay 5'IR will be deenergized with the result that relays 5H and 5D also will be deenergized. Underthis condition, relay 5CT will be operating on 75 code over a circuit which includes contact 15 of relay 50G, back point of contact 26 of relay 5H, and relay 5CT to termi- .nal,C so that the rails of section 4-5 will be supplied with 75 code. Signal 58 will be displaying a stop indication due to the deenergization of relay 5H.

By virtue of the retained neutral characteristic of the relay 5D, its neutral contacts will not become opened during momentary changes in the direction of energization of windings 6 and I so that undesirable signal flashing and disturbances in the energization of the rails of section 45 are avoided during such periods.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the reference character MR designates a train carried code following relay which receives energy from the rails I and 2 inductively through coils 30 and 3| and amplifier 32. Since the contacts 33 and 34 of relay'MR follow code in a manner similar to contacts 8 and 9 of the track relays TR, it will be apparent that, if contacts 33 and 34 are connected to wires I0, I6, I5, I1, and I4 in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 1, train carried signal control relays similar to the relays H and D may be utilized to control a cab signal similar to signal S.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be'made therein within the scope'of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a section of railway track, a polarized relay having two windings, means for selectively energizing said two windings in accordance with traffic conditions in advance of said section, a polar armature of said polarized relay which is caused toassume one condition or another condition depending upon which winding is energized, a neutral armature of said polarized relay which becomes picked up Wheneither winding is energized and which remains picked up during periods of change in the condition of said polar armature, and a signal controlled by said neutral and polar armatures.

2. In combination, a section of railway track, a polarized relay having two windings, means for selectively energizing said two windings in accordance with trafiic conditions in advance of said section, a polar armature of said polarized relay which is caused to assume one condition or another condition depending upon which winding is energized, a neutral armature of said polarized relay which becomes picked up when either winding is energized and. which remains picked up during periods of change in the condition of said polar armature, a signal for said section controlled by said neutral and polar armatures, and a signal control circuit extending to the rear of said section governed by said neutral armature.

3. In combination, a section of railway track, means for supplying the rails of said section with energy periodically interrupted at one rate or another in accordance with traific conditions in advance, a code following relay receiving energy means for supplying the rails of said section with energy periodically interrupted at one rate or another in accordance with traffic conditions in advance, a code following relay receiving energy from the rails of said section, a polarized relay having one winding effective when energized to cause said polarized relayto assume one condition and another winding eifective when energized to cause said polarized relay to assumeanother condition, means including a contact of said code following relay responsive only to energy periodically interrupted at'saidone rate for supplying energy to said one winding, means including said contact responsive only to energy periodically interrupted at said other rate for supplying energy to said other winding, and a traiiic governing device controlled by said polarized relay.

5. In combination, a section of railway track, means for supplying the rails of said section with energy periodically interrupted at one rate or another in accordance with trafiic conditions in advance, a code following relay receiving energy from the rails of said section, a polarized relay having one winding effective when energized to cause said polarized relay to assume one condition and another winding effective when energized to cause said polarized relay to assume another condition, means including a contact'of said code following relay responsive only to energy periodically interrupted at said one rate for supplying energy to said one winding, means including said contact responsive only to energy periodically interrupted at said other rate for supplying energy to said other winding, and a signal controlled by said polarized relay, said relay being of the retained neutral type whereby signal flashing is avoided.

6. In combination, a section of railway track, means for supplying the rails of said section with energy periodically interrupted at three different rates respectively in accordance with traffic conditions in advance, a code following track relay receiving energy from the rails of said section, a neutral control relay, a polarized control relay having two different windings, means controlled by said code following track relay responsive to energy interrupted at any of said three different rates for energizing said neutral relay, means controlled by said code following track relay responsive only to energy interrupted at a particular one of said three rates for energizing one winding of said polarized relay, means controlled by said code following track relay responsive only to energy interrupted at another particular one of said three rates for energizing the other winding of said polarized relay, and a traffic governing device controlled by said polarized and neutral relays.

'7. In combination, a section of railway track,

means for supplying the rails of said section with energy periodically interrupted at three different rates respectively in accordance with traffic cnneutral control relay, a polarized control relay having two different windings, means controlled by saidcode following track relay responsive to energy interrupted at any of i said three different rates for energizing said neutral relay, means controlled by said code following track relay responsive only to energy interrupted at a particularone of said three rates for energizing one Winding of said polarized relay, means controlled by said code following track relay responsive only to energy interrupted at another particular one of said three rates for energizing the other winding of said polarized relay, a polar armature of said polarizedrelay caused to assume one condition or another condition according as said one winding or said other winding is energized, and a signal controlled by said polar armature and said neutral relay.

8. In combination, a Section of railway track, a pair of conductors, means for periodically supplying current to said conductors at one rate or another rate in accordance with traffic conditions in advance, a first tuned circuit comprising a first transformer and a condenser connected across said conductors and tuned to resonance at said one rate, a second tuned circuit comprising a second transformer and a condenser connected across said conductors and tuned to resonance at said other rate, a polarized signal control relay having two windings, one winding being connected to said first circuit and the other winding being connected to said second circuit, and traflic governing means governed by said polarized relays.

9. In combination, a section of railway track, means for supplying the rails of said section with coded energy of one character or another in accordance with traffic conditions in advance of said section and train governing means including a code following relay receiving energy from the rails of said section, a polarized control relay having two windings, and means governed by said code following relay for selectively energizing said two windings in accordance with the character of the code received by the code following relay.

10. In combination, a section of railway track, means for supplying the rails of said section with coded energy of one character or another in accordance with traffic conditions in advance of said section, and train governing means including a code following relay receiving energy from the rails of said section, a polarized control relay having two windings for causing said control relay to assume one condition or another condition depending upon which winding is energized, means governed by said code following relay for selectively energizing said two windings in accordance with the character of the code received by the code following relay, and a signal governed by said polarized relay.

11. In combination, a plurality of successive sections of railway track, a plurality of code following track relays one connected across the rails of. each section, a polarized relay for each section having two windings, means for each section for selectively energizing said two windings according as the associated code following relay is responding to coded energy of one character or another character, and means for each section effective when the associated polarized relay is energized or deenergized for supplying the rails of. the section next in rearwith coded energy of said one character or said other character, respectively. I

12. In combination, a plurality of successive sections of railway track, a plurality of code fol lowing track relays one connected across the rails of each section, a polarized relay for each section each having two windings, means for each section for energizing one of said windings in one direction or the other of said windings in the other direction according as said code following relay is responding to coded energy of one character or another character, a signal for each section governed by the associated polarized relay, and means for each section including the associated polarized relay for controlling the character of energy supplied to the rails of the section next in rear.

13. In a coded signaling system, a code following relay, means for supplying said code following relay with coded energy of one character or another character, a polarized relay having two windings, means for energizing one of said windings in one direction or the other of said windings in the other direction according as said code following relay is receiving coded energy of said one character or said other character respectively, and a signal governed by said polarized relay.

14. In a coded signaling system, a code following relay, means for supplying said code following relay with coded energy of one character or another character, a polarized relay having two windings, means for energizing one of said windings in one direction or the other of said windings in the other direction according as said code following relay is receiving coded energy of said one character or said other character respectively, and a signal governed by the polarized relay, said relay being of the retained neutral type whereby signal flashing is avoided during periods of change from energization of one winding to energization of the other winding.

15. In a coded signaling system, a code following relay, means for supplying said code following relay with coded energy of three difierent characteristics respectively, a neutral relay, a polarized relay having two windings, means for energizing said neutral relay when said code following relay is responding to any of said three codes, means for energizing one winding of said polarized relay in one direction or for energizingv the other winding of said polarized relay in the other direction according as said code following relay is responding to a particular one or a particular other of. said codes respectively, and trafiic governing means controlled by said neutral and polarized relays.

CRAWFORD E. STAPLES. 

